Sunday, February 14, 2010

Bibbity bibbity

My goal for 2010 Knitting Olympics is simply to knit the things that need knitting. This means, for the most part, knitting samples from my own yarns. First up, the Mason Dixon bibb made from 2 strands of 5/2 Cotton Warp held double in Firefly.

Yes, I held the yarn double for yet another project So why not just dye up a thicker yarn to begin with? I'll tell ya why. My supplier doesn't make a thicker cotton warp yarn. This yarn is designed ot be a weaving yarn. Weaving yarns are traditionally thinner than knitting yarns. So while I'm using this for knitting without any problems, this is the thickest cotton warp yarn my supplier makes and it is intended for weaving.

So why not use a different cotton yarn? I'll tell ya why. This stuff is cheap. Dirt cheap. It is so cheap that I can sell a skein of it (yarn, dyes, labor and all) for less than $7. It is cheap, it is absorbent and it machine washes. Note: Wash it on cold to keep the color from fading, just as you would a brightly colored t-shirt or jeans. Alternatively, wash it on hot like I'm doing and deal with any fading. It's a bibb or dishcloth forgoshsakes.

Is it the nicest cotton in the world? Nope. Is it interesting to knit with? Yep. I like the hand of it a lot better than I do most of the kitchen cottons, too. It is thinner than a regular aran-weight kitchen cotton, which means it dries faster. Single-ply works great for crochet, weaving and fine knitting. Doubled up, the 5/2 Cotton Warp knits to a fine worsted weight. Coincidentally, this bib made a great swatch for the Baby Surprise Jacket. The gauge is spot on at 5 stitches per inch.

Deborah says this color knits up to look like linoleum. Crafty and Crap thinks it would look better with a solid-colored border. Kara doesn't like it. Blogless Sharon likes it. Blogless Sharon is my new favorite. *grin* The color has grown on me as non-traditional baby colors. Plus, the colors kept me much more entertained than the subtle and tastefully dyed kitchen cottons would have. Tasteful yarn? Bah! Who needs a tastefully colored dish cloth? Not I!

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About Me

This blog is a mix of both personal and professional. You will find official shop news, personal knitting, book talk, podcast info, and the occasional tutorial or pattern.

When I'm not podcasting or dyeing, I am deliriously happy to sit at home knitting, spinning, reading, and trying not to fall down the Pinterest rabbit hole. Other hobbies include looking at pictures of cats, using commas in creative and infuriating ways, and drinking a quantity of coffee that my doctor calls "alarming".

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